Just for a few weeks
by sakayora
Summary: Jack's cousin has a job for him and decides to stay over for a few weeks while he gets it done. No one knows that she and Jack are family, so a few mishaps occur and a certain dragon's interest is piqued. (Rating is for violence and language in later chapters.)
1. Chapter 1

Phew! It's been a while since I've been here. I deleted all of my stories a few years ago, but now I'm back with a new XS fanfic. I don't know how or why, but I've somehow gotten back into writing. Let's see how long that lasts. Hopefully long enough to finish this story.

Disclaimer: Xiaolin Showdown does not belong to me.

Warning: There's a bit of descriptive gore in the first part of the chapter.

* * *

"I'm not ready Jack." A young female voice quivered in pain and despair. Her short, orange hair was matted to her forehead with blood and sweat. Her torso had been stripped of all clothing and armor leaving her flat, creamy bosom bare. Bare except for the coat of smeared blood that is. She hissed in pain as a certain red haired genius and his newly built medi-bots worked on her right arm.

Jack examined his patient with concern. Her blood was spreading quickly on the sheets. He had his bots work on stopping the bleeding and getting the woman stabilized. "You're not gonna die Jo. I'm not gonna let that happen."

Jo chuckled weakly. "No. No… I'm not scared of dying Jack." At the look of confusion on Jack's face, she replied, "It's a given that my occupation is going to kill me. I'm just not ready to stop fighting." Her emerald eyes strayed to the cause of her immense pain. Her forearm was barely attached to the rest of her arm. Thin strings of muscle and ligament were barely hanging on to the elbow, and with every heartbeat, streams of blood rushed out and coated everything in its path. It was a gruesome sight, and Jo was thankful that Jack was somehow able to stomach it. If there was one person she'd trust her life with, it was him. "I'm… going to lose it, aren't I?"

Jack swallowed down a lump of bile as a spray of blood hit his shirt. "You need to calm down. At the rate your heart is beating, you're going to die of blood loss." He glared at one of his medi-bots. "Why haven't you stopped the bleeding yet?"

"Jack, come on. Don't ignore my question. Am I going to lose my arm?" Jo was incredibly pale now and her words were beginning to slur. Her eyes began to droop, and her head rolled to the side. Her breathing became shallow, but her heart rate continued to rise. "It's ok… I…"

"Jo?" Jack growled in frustration. He couldn't let her die. Not like this! This type of death wasn't suitable for a warrior like her. "Damn it, Jo! Stay with me!"

_A few weeks earlier_

It was a lazy day for Jack Spicer. No shen gong wu had revealed itself all day. No monks had burst into his evil lair. Wuya was off bothering who gives a damn, and Chase… well Jack didn't feel like getting crushed by the giant stone door today. The evil genius yawned as he tinkered away at a new contraption that would no doubt get destroyed by the monks at a later date. He stopped and slumped on the bench he was sitting on. "I'm… bored. Not even my beautiful works of genius are doing anything for me." Deciding it was time for a pudding break, the goth exited his basement and strolled leisurely through the empty mansion. As he rummaged through the refrigerator, a voice whispered into his ear.

"Jackie."

Ok so maybe the mansion wasn't exactly empty.

Jack let out a scream and proceeded to knock himself out on a low hanging cabinet as he backed away as fast as he could.

There was silence for a moment before a young woman with orange cropped hair and lively emerald eyes burst out laughing. She looked and sounded very boyish. She wore a black tank top, camo pants, leather boots and a leather jacket. She had various weapons hidden on her person. Shaking her head, she easily picked up the unconscious youth and carried him to a couch. "You're still as clumsy as ever." She crossed her arms. "What am I going to do with you?"

...

Jack woke up a few hours later. The back of his head was throbbing, and he hissed as he felt the large lump that had formed there. What happened?

"You ok Jack? You were muttering in your sleep."

Jack whipped his head around and immediately cursed. He held his head as sharp pains radiated to his forehead. He knew that voice. "Jo?"

The young woman grinned. "In the flesh." She walked over to him and handed him an ice pack. "Sorry for scaring you earlier. One of your robots let me in so I thought you knew I was here."

"It's ok." Jack gingerly held it to his head. "What're you doing here? I thought you were visiting in two months."

Jo shrugged. "Oh yeah well... They let me out early on the condition that I bring you back with me."

Jack looked at her skeptically as he sat up. "You know I told them what I thought about their offer."

Jo sat next to him. "I know. That's why I made them change it."

"Oh yeah?" Jack didn't know his cousin had that kind of pull with the higher-ups. "So what do they want now?"

"Medical robots." She replied. "There are a lot of good soldiers getting hurt on the battlefield, and it would help quite a bit if you could build some robots to help our doctors treat them." Jo watched her cousin carefully as he considered the new offer. "I know you weren't really interested in making weapons for them, and I agree. That type of technology is best kept out of their hands." At the shocked look from her cousin, she explained her view. "I may be loyal to the king's army, but I do put the best of the people first. The king's advisors are corrupt, and they would no doubt convince the king to use your robots against our people along with our enemies if given the chance."

Jack smiled. This was one of the reasons why he liked his cousin so much. Jo was a soldier for the king of a small but powerful country. From what he knew, the country had been under siege by neighboring countries for centuries. As soon as Jo had become a part of the army, Jack had been bombarded with requests from the king to build him powerful weapons, and Jack had refused every time under the advice of his cousin. "Ok. I can help you out with that."

The orange-haired woman smiled. "Thank you Jack. I really appreciate it. This will help my country a lot." She chuckled. "Don't worry. You'll be compensated for your time."

Jack nodded. He grinned cockily. "What can I say? I am a genius."

"An evil genius?" Jo teased. Jack made a face. "As I said, you were muttering in your sleep."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Jack stood up, the ice pack still held firmly against his head. "Are you hungry?" He snapped his fingers and one of his robots rushed towards them.

She shook her head. "Nah. I helped myself to your fridge while you were asleep. I'm surprised your robots have stayed out of my way."

"You've got Spicer blood in you somewhere even if our parents are distant cousins."

"Makes sense."

The robot stopped in front of them. It was smaller in design compared to his battle bots and could change into a small sphere for easy transport. "How may I serve you, Master?" It asked.

"I want you to do whatever Jo asks of you, got it? As long as she's here, treat her like an honored guest." Jack replied. He turned to Jo. "I'm gonna start on those medi-bots. How many do you need?"

Jo shrugged. "Hmm... Enough to serve a small country, I guess."

"I guess I'll make a hundred then. I should be done in a few days." He felt a sense of pride at the surprised look on Jo's face. "Why don't you go shopping while I get this done? I doubt you've been able to do that in a while."

Jo crossed her arms. "Are you insulting my clothing choice?" Jack knew better than to answer and scampered away to his basement. "Hey! I didn't even bring any money!" A second robot greeted her with a suitcase of money. "Oh cool. Thanks Jack!"

* * *

There you have it. Please excuse any grammatical or spelling mistakes. I'm sure I caught most, if not all of them, though. Hope you liked it. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Ok then! Here's the second chapter. :) A little run-in with the monks always does the soul good. Right...?

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown. It's just fun to write in this universe.

* * *

"Hmmm..." Jo twirled in front of the mirror as she studied the new outfit she was trying on. Thanks to Jack's generosity, she had been able to buy herself some new outfits and pick up a few presents for her friends back home. It felt strange to be in civilian clothing as she hadn't really worn anything but her uniform for the past few years. It was probably worth mentioning that she also usually wore men's clothing for convenience's sake. As it was, she was trying to get in touch with her more feminine side in terms of clothing. She walked back to the dressing room where the jackbot that had been assigned to her was currently curled up into a ball. Jo changed back into her usual clothing, placed the robot into her pocket and left. As she waited in line to pay for her clothing, a loud commotion broke out in front of the store. Everyone except her immediately ran to the back. Jo sighed and walked to the front of the register even though the cashier was hiding. "Excuse me? I really want to pay for this and get out of here." The cashier didn't emerge from her hiding spot. Jo cursed silently as the commotion grew louder. It seemed like the fight was in the store now. _'I really shouldn't get involved. Don't turn around. Don't-'_ With a heavy groan, Jo turned around.

What. The. Fuck?

Jo could hardly believe her eyes. The Xiaolin monks were there. Fighting... a really ugly panda-like man. Jo knew of the monks from her many letters from Jack. That's right. Jack Spicer had actually taken the time to write her letters and send her photographs of his adventures. He didn't really have a choice as Jo didn't own a phone, computer or anything more technologically advanced than a 1900 radio. It wasn't like Jo wasn't interested in the 21st century or electricity. She was just residing in a place that held a certain distaste for it. It was really annoying.

Jo tapped her forehead. "Ok..." She focused on the only girl in the fight. "That's Kimiko." She looked at a small yellow boy. "Omi." She then turned her attention to a tan, brown-haired boy. "Raimundo." Her eyes settled on the cowboy last. "Clay." Her eyes narrowed as Pandabubba suddenly grabbed her and held a large dagger to her throat.

"Back up!" Ugh! The man's breath was wretched! "Back up or I'll slit his throat!" The monks stopped but kept their stances. They glared at the villain. Pandabubba smirked. "I want all of you to drop your wu and leave. Do it or- ACK!"

What the hell? Did they think she was a boy? Sure she had a flat chest but... Seriously pissed off by the whole ordeal, Jo threw her head back into her captor's face as hard as she could. He quickly let go of her and nursed his broken nose. Taking advantage of the distraction, she quickly disarmed him and kicked him in the crotch. Pandabubba doubled over giving her the opportunity to bring her elbow down on the back of his head. As the man fell to the ground unconscious, Jo pulled out some rope from her pocket (it was always useful to have some around) and tied him up. She picked up the clothing that had fallen from her grasp when Pandabubba had grabbed her. She turned to the cashier who was staring at her admiringly. "Can I please pay for this now?"

"You can have it for free." The girl replied dreamily as she put the clothes in a bag. Whoever this guy was, he was so dreamy! His girlfriend was so lucky to have someone who was strong and confident enough to go shopping alone. She blushed when her hand brushed against Jo's fingers.

"Well thanks. That's really nice of you." Jo smiled as she accepted the bag. She turned around to see the monks staring at her with slack jaws. Oh right. Kicking Pandabubba towards them, she held the dagger out. She had no use for another dagger. "I guess this is yours now." She picked up the rest of her bags. "Uh... see ya." She was about to walk past them when she felt a tug on her jacket. She turned to see Omi. "What do you want?"

"That was most amazing!" Omi shouted. Jo winced at the volume. "Where did you learn such moves? Your agility and skills are very impressive!"

Ok... Jo smiled uncomfortably as the young monk beamed up at her. "I'm a soldier, and I learned from plenty of places?" She edged around the group of monks. "I have to get going." She tried to walk away from them, but it seemed like they were following her now. Glancing back, her suspicions were confirmed. Clay was carrying Pandabubba over his shoulder while the other three kept shooting her curious looks. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she was pretty sure that they were discussing her. Great.

...oOo...

"That guy is pretty cool." Kimiko sneakily snapped some photos of his backside. "I mean, he took Pandabubba down barehanded in like.. ten seconds!"

"That is pretty impressive." Clay replied. "And he was nice enough to tie up Pandabubba and give us the Dagger of Netar."

"I don't know guys. There's something weird about that guy." Raimundo mumbled. He was slightly annoyed and suspicious at how easily the mysterious stranger had put Pandabubba down.

"Are you jealous Rai?" Kimiko teased.

The Brazilian monk blushed. "What? No way! I mean think about it. Why wasn't he more surprised by us?"

"He's probably used to stuff like that. He did say that he trained in different places." Dojo came out of hiding from under Clay's hat.

"Good time to show up Dojo. You were a real help back there." That comment earned Rai a punch from Kimiko. "Ow! What the heck Kimiko?"

Omi, who had been curiously quiet the whole time, suddenly let out a surprised shout. Everyone stopped to stare at the yellow monk. "The mysterious soldier! He has mysteriously disappeared!" He yelled.

"Ok! That's enough!"

The monks turned around to see Jo behind them. Omi's head turned back and forth from Jo's previous spot to where she was now. "How did you do that? I was watching you and... and... Oh how amazing! You must meet Master Fung!"

Setting the bags down, Jo groaned and massaged her temples. These guys were giving her a headache. "Let me make something very clear to you guys. My name is Jo. I am a girl. I know I look like a dude because of my flat chest and boyish voice, but I'm a fucking girl! As I said before, I'm a soldier who's just visiting her cousin for a few days. I'm not a hero just a person doing her civil duty. Now leave me alone!"

Omi's jaw hit the floor. "You're a girl?!"

Jo rolled her eyes. "Yes. I am. Will you guys stop following me now? It's annoying."

Kimiko covered Omi's mouth before he could say something stupid and borderline offensive. "Of course. Sorry about that. Listen though. Do you think we girls could hang out sometime? It's nice to see more girls kicking butt."

Jo thought about it for a moment. These were the people who bullied her dear cousin. Of course, Jack would never admit it. Still, it wasn't like she was involved in the Xiaolin-Heylin conflict. If anything, this could actually help Jack out if Jo learned anything that she could pass along to him. "Yeah ok. I guess so."

Kimiko beamed. "Awesome! I'll give you my number and-"

"I don't have a phone."

It was Kimiko's turn to have her jaw hit the floor. "What? You don't have a phone? How is that possible in this day and age?" Before Jo could reply, Kimiko pulled out another phone from her bag and shoved it into the orange-haired girl's hands. "Here. It's pretty basic, and you can't play games on it... but it'll work."

Jo looked at it in surprise. "Thank you, Kimiko."

The Japanese girl looked at her suspiciously. "How did you know my name?"

"He was screaming it just a second ago." Jo smoothly lied as she pointed at Raimundo.

Satisfied with that answer, Kimiko nodded and introduced the other monks. "Makes sense. Ok so this Raimundo. He can be a jerk sometimes. (Rai crossed his arms and scoffed.) That's Omi. He's naive and says things wrong all the time. Don't worry. It confuses us too. (Omi gave them a huge smile and waved.) The big guy over there is Clay. He's pretty nice, and you can depend on him. (The cowboy smiled and tipped his hat.)" Kimiko pulled Dojo out from under Clay's hat. She wasn't sure why the dragon had gone into hiding again. "This is Dojo. He helps us out and takes us places." The dragon smiled nervously as Jo looked at him carefully.

"Nice to meet you all." Jo shook each of their hands. She noticed Pandabubba stirring and discreetly knocked him out again. "Well, it's getting pretty late, and my cousin is probably worried about me." That was another lie. If she knew Jack, and she did, he was busy still working on the medi-bots.

"Ok. I have that number, so I'll call you later, Jo. Bye!" The monks waved goodbye and walked away.

Jo let out a sigh of relief. Those guys were a handful even when friendly. She could only imagine what it must be like to have the type of relationship Jack had with them. Pocketing the phone Kimiko had given her, Jo picked up her bags and took the opposite direction to exit the mall. She made her way to a secluded spot (in a dark alley to be specific) and set her shopping bags down again. She pulled out Jack's robot. "Wake up." The ball rose from her hand and transformed.

"Hello Master Jo. How may I be of service?"

"Can you take these bags back for me please?" Jo pointed at them. "I want to do some more shopping."

"As you wish, Master." A small compartment opened on the robot's body. "Please take this tracker so that I can find you again." Jo did so and the robot left for the Spicer mansion with her purchases.

Jo placed the tracker in her bra and was about to leave when a heavy hand landed on her shoulder. Jo whirled around and got into a defensive pose. Her emerald eyes widened. "Chase Young?" What was he doing here?

* * *

Yup. Poor Jo always gets mistaken for a guy.


	3. Chapter 3

The third chapter is now up! Thank you to MusicNeverStops474, bbst, and flamthower500 for your reviews and everyone else who has this story so far. I really appreciate it! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown and do not profit in any way from this fanfiction.

* * *

"Calm yourself. I am not here to harm you." Chase smirked at the woman. He was pleased that she had not screamed (like a certain worm he knew) and had reacted so quickly. He placed his hands behind his back.

"Oh really?" Jo backed away from the man before relaxing and crossing her arms. "What is the great Chase Young doing in a dark alley then?" She tensed as Chase began to circle her. She had read about Chase from Jack's letters and knew he couldn't be trusted.

"I was curious about the new guest in Spicer's home and why he welcomed you so warmly. It's not everyday that he accepts a request that would benefit others simply out of the goodness of his heart." He raised a brow as Jo began to laugh. This girl had some guts to laugh in his face.

Jo waved her hand dismissively. "Sorry but Jack isn't helping me because it's the 'right thing to do.' He's doing it because it'll get the king off of his back for a while." The curious look on Chase's face prompted her to elaborate. "It's not really important, but I serve a king from a small country in his own little personal army." She shrugged. "I'm not really sure how it happened, but he somehow learned about Jack's talent with machinery. His majesty has been pestering the both of us to make him some weapons that could destroy his enemies in seconds for years now." A dark look crossed her face which made Chase smirk. She looked positively... evil. "I know his advisers are behind his requests. If they think they can take advantage of me and Jack, they're dead wrong. If I could, I'd out them and have them torn to shreds like the vermin they are." The dark look passed much to Chase's disappointment. "As it is, all I can do is direct his majesty's mind to something more helpful for his people." Jo growled in annoyance as Chase stood close to her. "Will that be all? I have other things I want to do."

"Watch your mouth." Chase glared at her. Why were all Spicers so disrespectful? "You will be able to leave after I'm done with you."

That ticked Jo off. "There's a difference between being rude and being cautious. I don't trust you, and I'm really not obligated to answer any of your questions."

Chase suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. "Think what you will. Now, what is your relationship to Spicer?" Chase watched as a flash of emotion ran through Jo's eyes. There was malice directed at the Heylin prince and something else that Chase couldn't quite place.

"Jack and I are family. My mother and his father are distant cousins. In the past, Jack's parents would let Jack stay with my family. We became good friends and kept in touch all these years." The words were factual and spat out in an almost robotic manner. "Anything else?"

That attitude again. Chase decided to let it go for now. "I suppose that is all for now. I would like to commend you on your quick actions against Pandabubba. A lesser person would have feared for her life and broken down. I'm not sure whether to say good job on gaining the monks' trust so easily or to be disappointed in them. Either way, I'm certain that you'll put their trust to good use." He smirked at the surprised, and slightly flattered, look on Jo's face. "We'll meet again soon, I'm sure." With that, he disappeared into the darkness.

"Huh. Well that was unexpected." Jo finally walked out of the alley. "Let's see what else there is to do." Mentally worn out by the run-ins with the monks and Chase, she was going to enjoy this alone time to herself immensely.

...

...oOo...

...

It was late and the mall was closing when Jack's robot returned to Jo. The young woman was hanging out at the food court eating a large ice cream cone. There were two more bags at her feet. "Hey. How's Jack doing back there?"

"Master Jack is doing well." The robot replied. "Are you ready to go home, Master Jo?"

"In a second. Let me just finish this first." A few minutes later, Jo was being flown through the sky holding her bags tightly. The feeling was fantastic! She loved the rush of air flowing past her short hair. Now she understood Jack's love for flying. The trip ended too soon as they touched down on his front lawn. Jo stretched her long limbs and entered the house. It was cold and quiet, so she headed for the basement.

Jo watched her cousin fondly as he worked on his machines. He was absolutely oblivious to her presence as she quietly descended the stairs. "Hmm. This part looks good. Let's see if I can't adjust it to be more efficient though..." He muttered. He had put his goggles on and taken off his jacket revealing skinny white arms. There were smudges of oil and grease on his exposed skin. He had created ten different robots in her absence. Each were specialized to work under different conditions and had different functions to assist a doctor. They were beautiful and sleek which was exactly what Jo had hoped for.

"Hey Jack."

The evil genius didn't jump and scream this time, but his shoulders did tense up. He pushed his goggles up and grinned. "Hey Jo. I got a lot of stuff done while you were gone." He explained each of his creations' functions to her. "I still have a few more designs to create, but after I perfect them all, I'll make several copies of each of them." He sat back down on his workbench and got back to work. "So how was the mall? Any money left?"

"Of course there is. Just not much." Jo settled down next to him. "It wasn't too bad. Apparently I look like a boy though." Jack snorted. That wasn't surprising. He could remember girls giving Jo presents when they were younger. "Yep. A guy also tried to take me hostage, but I kicked his ass." She grinned as Jack laughed. "I don't know how, but I somehow managed to become friends with the Xiaolin monks because of it."

Jack dropped his screwdriver at that piece of news. "You what?!"

Jo held her hands up in defense. "Hey it's not like I did it on purpose. Hell, I even told them to leave me alone."

"Do they know I'm your cousin though?" The last thing Jack wanted was to have the Xiaolin losers target his cousin. He didn't want her to get dragged into the conflict.

"Nah. They don't know anything. Kimiko even gave me a phone. She wants to hang out later." Jack laughed. He could imagine the Japanese girl's reaction to Jo not having a phone. "Chase knows though."

Jack shot out of his chair at the mention of his idol's name. "W-what?!"

"Jack..."

"Chase is my evil hero, and he just appeared to you! That is so cool!" The goth grasped Jo's shoulders. "Did he do anything to you? Say anything?"

"Well... We just talked." Jo smirked. "He's been watching you, Jack." Her cousin blushed. "Not like that silly."

"I know that!" Jack muttered hastily. He sat back down. "Kind of weird how all this stuff happened today, huh?"

Jo nodded. "Yeah. Well, I'm going to sleep now. Don't stay up too late."

"What are you, my mom?" Jack smirked and returned his attention to the partially finished part. "I prepared a room for you. One of my robots will show you where it is. Night."

"Good night Jack."

* * *

Tsk. Tsk. Jo may not be as obnoxious as Jack, but she certainly knows how to get on Chase's nerves... and not give a crap.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello again people. Not much to say here except thank you for reading. Also, thank you to bbst for reviewing. :)

I apologize if I mess up on canon and whatnot when it comes to the monks. It's been a while since I've last seen the show. Jack and Jo's relationship is supposed to be the way it is though. She sees him in a different light because they go a long way back (according to me anyways).

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

* * *

Jo was sleeping peacefully when god awful ringing woke her up. "What the fuck..?" She groaned sleepily. She felt around for the source of the offensive noise. It was the cell phone Kimiko had given her. It took Jo a moment to figure out what button to push to answer. "What?" She mumbled.

"Good morning Jo!" Kimiko's voice was chipper.

Oh god. Were they seriously going to do this? The sleepy young woman sat up slowly. "Kimiko. What time is it?" Contrary to what some would assume, Jo was not an early riser unless she had gone to bed before nine o'clock.

The Japanese girl laughed. "It's ten thirty! Me and the guys just finished training and doing our chores. Do you want to hang out?"

Jo sat up and yawned. "Uh, yeah, sure I guess. Where and when should we meet up?"

"Wanna hang out at the temple for a bit? We can pick you up in ten minutes."

"Uh... it'll take me more than ten minutes to get ready." Jo lied. "You know how it is."

Kimiko giggled. "Yeah I know. I have to wake up at least an hour before the guys do to get ready. Where are you staying?"

Crap. What was she gonna say? "Let me call you back Kimiko. My brain doesn't work right before I've had my first cup of coffee."

"Oh ok. Hit me up when you're ready then. See ya." Click.

Jo groaned in agitation as she fell back onto the bed. She didn't feel ready to get up yet. She shut her eyes. Just a few more minutes of sleep...

"Master Jo?"

Jo resisted the urge to throw her pillow at the robot. "What do you want?" She growled.

"Master Jack wants to know what you'd like for breakfast."

That woke her up. "Jack knows how to cook?"

"Yes Master Jo. He-"

Jo jumped out of bed and walked past the robot before it could finish speaking. She had to see this for herself.

...

...oOo...

...

Jack was humming as he flipped another perfectly round pancake. He was wearing a black bathrobe and pink fuzzy bunny slippers.

"Oh my god. You are cooking."

"Hmm?" Jack glanced at his cousin. "Morning Jo."

"Good morning Jack." She walked over to him. "When did you learn how to cook?"

Jack thought about it. "You know when my parents stopped bringing me over to your house?"

Jo frowned. How could she forget? That was one of the loneliest summers she'd ever had. "Yeah."

"Right about that time."

"Was that when they started abandoning you?" Jo asked. She growled when Jack nodded. "You know, they could've just left you with us. My family loves you, and we would've taken good care of you." Not to mention, Jack would probably be serving the king with her... but that was something entirely different.

"I know. Guess that's why they didn't." Jack mumbled. He changed the subject. "So what do you want? Pancakes? Eggs? Sausage? Cereal?"

"Got any blueberry waffles and coffee?" Jo yawned and sat at the table. "Kimiko called. She wants to pick me up and hang out at the temple."

"Oh really?" Jack was busy warming up the waffle iron. He poured Jo a cup of coffee. "What'd you say?"

"Well that's just it. I made some excuse about needing to drink my coffee first before my brain could function." If Jo saw Jack smirk, she ignored it. "What exactly am I supposed to say about where I'm staying right now?"

"I could rent you an apartment if you want." Jack placed the cup in front of Jo and walked back to waffle iron. He quickly mixed up some blueberry batter. "You know I don't want them finding out about your living arrangements either."

"That's an idea." Jo sipped the black coffee and made a face. "Wouldn't that be kind of costly though?"

Jack poured the batter into the waffle iron. "Trust me, Jo. If those losers knew you were staying with me, they'd try to "save you" and probably destroy the medi-bots before you had a chance to explain what was going on. They're assholes like that." He placed a hand on his waist. "Besides, do you really think an apartment would be too expensive for _me_ to afford?" A small beep rang out. Placing the waffle on a plate, Jack set it down in front of his cousin.

"No. I guess not." The still sleepy woman poured syrup all over the waffle and the plate absentmindedly. "I just hate the thought of going through all of that trouble though." Jo savored the first bite. "This is delicious."

The goth laughed and bowed. "Thank you milady!"

"Shut up Jack."

...

...oOo...

...

Chase was intrigued. He had never seen Jack act so competently before. The boy seemed more mature and sure of himself when his cousin was around. He was still playful, but he wasn't as annoying as usual. The overlord had also seen the work Jack was doing for her and was pleased by what he saw. It looked like there was hope for the boy after all, and Jo was the key to unlocking Spicer's full potential. Chase wondered if he could convince the young woman to stay even with her infuriating attitude. (Chase was fairly certain he could beat that out of her though.) It was refreshing to see someone who could take care of herself and rely on her own skills rather than shen gong wu. Hopefully that would rub off onto the goth somehow.

...

...oOo...

...

Jo gulped down the last drops of her fourth cup of coffee. Jack had made her six more waffles before she was satisfied. "Thanks Jack." The boy was busy eating his own breakfast and could only grunt in reply. Jo stood up and placed her dirty dishes in the sink. She ruffled his hair. "I'm gonna get ready for my little play date with the monks."

As soon as she was out of the kitchen, Jack propped his legs onto the table and began to play with his food. This went on for about ten minutes until Chase suddenly appeared on the other side of the table. Jack screamed and fell back. "Ow!" He peeked at his evil idol. "Chase! What-"

"Silence worm." Jack immediately shut his mouth. Chase seated himself across from the red-head. "I've noticed a marked improvement in your attitude and efforts ever since your cousin arrived, Spicer. Very impressive considering that it's only been one day." The dragon lord steepled his fingers. "If her presence could have such an effect on you in terms of your productivity, I can only wonder what miracles could happen to your fighting abilities. It's no secret that your physical attributes and immaturity have kept you from attaining your true potential. Your cousin seems to be a good influence on you which is why I propose that you both stay with me from now on. I will train you both to be great warriors." Chase smirked at the hopeful look on Jack's face. "What do you say, Spicer?"

"I..." Jack suddenly frowned. While it had always been his dream to become Chase's apprentice, he also knew that he couldn't pull Jo away from her duties for too long. She was an important figure in her country after all, and her king might send assassins to take her back and kill him! Jack stood up. "Sorry Chase but we can't."

As the redhead expected, Chase did not take the rejection lightly. Jack winced as Chase jumped over the table and grabbed him by the throat. Jack grabbed feebly at his captor's crushing hand."You have made a very poor choice, Spicer."

"Let him go, Chase." Jo's voice was a low hiss. She was bare except for the skimpy towel wrapped around her body. Considering her body type, however, she hardly looked scandalous. The soldier pointed a gun at the man's head.

Chase dropped the boy and smirked. "And just what do you think _that_ will do to me?" Jack coughed and rubbed his aching throat. His eyes widened at Jo's lack of dress.

"I admit that it will most likely do no significant damage to you." Jo calmly stepped towards the man until the muzzle of the gun touched his armor. "However, I think it'd confuse and anger you enough for just a moment to give Jack a chance to run while we engage in battle." Jack took the hint and scampered out of the kitchen.

Chase laughed at the absurd explanation. "Are you really so confident in your techniques?" He sneered.

There was the flicker of something dark and unknown in Jo's eyes once again, and it fascinated Chase. It was apparent that Jo was not at all what she appeared to be. The woman tilted her head as she asked, "Are you?"

Chase cupped the woman's chin. "There is something inherently evil about you. Why not join me and bring darkness to this world?"

Jo glared at him and backed away. "Don't touch me." Her gun was still pointed at Chase. "I already have other duties."

A gleam appeared in Chase's eye. "And should those duties disappear?"

"Don't you dare!" Jo was low but considerably strained. "I will find a way to kill you if anything happens to my king or his people." She lowered her gun. "If you really want us (she was not about to leave Jack out of the equation) on your side so badly, get rid of my king's enemies and ensure stability and prosperity for his land and people. Only then, can I leave his service." She shivered. "Now if you don't mind, Chase, I'd like to get dressed. I have to play with the monks for a little while."

Chase smirked at the exasperation in her voice. He would allow her to leave unscathed this time. It didn't suit him to attack a naked woman even if she was armed. As she walked away, Chase noticed a dark tattoo on the left side of her back. It was an owl skeleton with spikes protruding from its head. Tiny orbs flickered in the bird's eye sockets. What Chase couldn't see underneath the towel was the human skull that the owl was perched on. It held a diseased heart in between its teeth. "Hmmm..." Chase teleported back to his lair. He had some research to do.

* * *

Really Jo? A gun and hand-to-hand combat against Chase? Tsk tsk. You're not _that_ good.

Yeah. She holds a lot of animosity towards Chase because of the way Jack fawns over him but is treated badly.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you bbst and katlin for the reviews and everyone else who have read, followed or favorited this story. I really appreciate you guys. :)

Warning: I'm a little bit uneasy with this chapter. We get to see what one of Jo's enemies is like, and it is not pretty.

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

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Kimiko sighed as she checked her phone for the hundredth time. When was Jo going to call her back? It had been two hours now. Did the other woman not want to hang out after all?

Omi peered at the Japanese girl. "Kimiko, Master Fung will not be pleased if you do not place your head in the game." They were supposed to be training, but the dragon of fire was hardly participating.

"You mean get your head in the game, Omi." Rai corrected. He placed a comforting hand on Kimiko's shoulder. "Come on Kim. It's only been two hours. Maybe she's trying to figure out what outfit to wear. You know, like you."

Kimiko grumbled as she jabbed the dragon of wind with her elbow. Jo didn't look like that sort of person. Suddenly, her phone began to ring. "Oh my gosh. Finally!" The Japanese girl quickly answered. "Hello? Jo?" Her smile widened. "Hey girl! What took you so long to call back? Your what? No way! Uh huh. Uh huh. Yeah ok! You bet! We'll see you in a few!" Kimiko ended the call.

The three boys looked at her. "So...?"

"Apparently some jerk broke into her apartment while she was taking a shower, so she threatened him with her gun and he left." Kimiko nodded to herself. "That's pretty awesome."

Clay and Rai chuckled nervously. Riiiight. Awesome...

"Let's go pick her up! Dojo!" Kimiko ran out to find the green dragon.

"I am surprised to see how much Kimiko has taken to Jo!" Omi mused. "Is it, as they say, a girl thing?"

"Yup." Rai replied blandly. He wondered if Kimiko had deleted that photo she had taken of Jo back at the mall yet.

"I'm sure all the excitement will wear off soon enough." Clay interjected. "Kim's just happy to finally meet another skilled fighter who happens to be a girl too." He shot Omi a look. "You and Rai don't exactly make it easy on her, you know."

"Hey!" Rai frowned.

Omi looked confused. "No? I do not understand my friend."

Clay sighed. "Never mind, Omi."

...

...oOo...

...

Jo paced back and forth in front of the apartment complex that she and Jack had decided to rent from. Jack was currently paying for one of the apartments while she waited for the monks to show up. She didn't like the fact that she now had to pretend like she lived somewhere else. It was a pain in the ass. She looked up at the sky and saw a dragon circling around the complex. "Looks like they're here."

A few seconds later, Dojo landed in front of Jo and the monks jumped down to greet her. Jo smiled. "Nice to see you guys again." Jo had decided to go with a casual look. She had pinned her hair back with barrettes and was wearing a long silver shirt with dark gray leggings underneath. She wore an olive green jacket and black pumps that felt awkward on her. "Where are we going?" Jo pretended to listen as Kimiko prattled on about their itinerary.

Inside, Jack had finished paying for the apartment. He was to go outside when he noticed that the monks were outside talking to Jo. "Aw crap!" He muttered. How was he supposed to get out without being noticed? Suddenly, his wu detector went off.

Meanwhile outside, Dojo started twisting himself into knots. Jo stared at him with concern. "Uh... Is he ok?"

The monks looked at each. Should they tell Jo about the shen gong wu? It only took a moment to decide. "Come on Dojo. Let's go!" The dragon transformed into his full size and the monks hopped on. "Hop on Jo! You're not going to believe this!" Knowing that it'd be suspicious if she didn't agree, Jo jumped on and they flew away.

Jack couldn't believe his eyes as he stared out of the window. Fuck!

...

...oOo...

...

Jo was thankful for her discipline. If it wasn't for that, she'd have throttled the four monks by now. She didn't care about their endless prattle about the shen gong wu or the Xiaolin-Heylin conflict. Oh no. She was pissed off at the constant demeaning remarks about her cousin. Jo took in a deep breath and calmed herself. She had to be strong for Jack's sake. She was relieved when they switched topics and started looking up the newest wu. Jo shut her eyes and blocked their voices out. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

Kimiko was the first to notice. She laughed and got the guys' attentions. "Guys look at Jo."

Clay scratched his head. "How in tarnation can she fall asleep like that? I'd be scared of falling off of Dojo!"

"Dude even if she did fall, I'd catch her in no time." Rai boasted.

Omi poked Jo curiously. Such a strange individual! "I have never seen this before, my friends. Jo is such a strange person."

The orange-haired woman cracked open an eye. "Stop poking me." She yawned and stretched. "Are we there yet?"

"Yup!" Dojo finally landed in a desolate wasteland, and everyone jumped down. Dojo shrank and they got to work looking for the wu. Jo frowned as she observed the area. Why did this place look so familiar? The frown soon gave way to horror. Oh no. No no no no no no! She and Xiaolin monks were only a few miles away from her home country which meant...

A loud roar resounded over the wasteland. The monks and Dojo looked up in surprise. "What the heck was that?" Rai asked. The other monks shrugged. He yelped as Jo dragged him to the ground. He coughed violently as sand filled his mouth. He spit out as much as he could and wiped his mouth. "What the hell was that for?" He growled.

"Shut up and get down!" She hissed. "All of you!" Hearing the desperation in her voice, the monks did as she asked. A few moments later, the roar died down. Jo sighed. She couldn't believe that there was a shen gong wu in the middle of Juntar territory. Thinking about it though, it suddenly made sense why those tribesmen were so difficult to get rid of.

"Jo, what's going on?" Rai asked quietly. "What was that noise?"

_'I can't believe these idiots brought me this close to my home...'_ Jo gritted her teeth. "Those were the Juntar. They're a vile tribe of cannibalistic men who kidnap women just to rape and breed them. Any children born female are killed on the spot and eaten, and after a woman is past her prime, she's also killed and eaten." The monks shuddered. Jo stood up slowly. "Listen. I know the shen gong wu are important to you, but I'm pretty sure that this is way beyond anything you guys are used to. I can't let you guys go after that wu. I have a sneaking suspicion that their leader has it in his possession." She turned to Dojo. "What does that thing do?"

"The Sash of Makhai gives the user an incredible thirst for battle, strength of a hundred men and removes any conscience the wearer may have about killing others." The dragon replied. Why in the world had Dashi ever made such an item?

Jo nodded grimly. "That sounds like Uakoru all right." She didn't have any of her weapons on her and was ill prepared to do anything. That pissed her off pretty badly.

"How do you know all of this?" Clay asked her suspiciously.

"I know about them because I've been trying to get rid of them for a while now." Geez, what was with all these questions?

"Don't worry Jo." Kim patted her hand. "We can get the wu from him." The other monks nodded in agreement.

Jo bit her lip to keep a snarky comment from falling out. God these kids were naive! "You really have no idea what you're going up against. Those men will devour you." Literally.

"Do not fear for our safety, Jo." Omi looked determined. "We are Xiaolin warriors, and we will be victorious!"

"You guys are fucking crazy." Jo could tell she wasn't going to be able to win this argument. "Ok fine but don't say I didn't tell you so. If things get out of hand, I want you all out of there immediately! You got that?" They nodded and huddled up. "All right. Here's what I need you guys to do..."

...  
...oOo...

...

With his spy-eye orb, Chase stared at the tribesmen that struck genuine fear and disgust into Jo's eyes. With enemies like these, there was no wonder why the woman was so hardened. The Juntar were a terrible sight to watch, and the dragon lord's eyes flashed with anger as a group of them dragged a number of crying women into a large hut. Chase may have been evil and cruel, but he disdained rape. A large fire pit sat in the middle of the village where the half-naked men drank dark liquid from human skulls and ate meat off of bones. Chase had seen enough. He would gladly destroy these despicable creatures and taunt Jo of her inability to eliminate them. He stood up and snapped his fingers. His jungle cat warriors appeared and waited for his orders.

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Thank you for reading this chapter.

...Not really sure of what to say at this point.


	6. Chapter 6

This is kind of a dark chapter... Lots of death and stuff. Also, I suck at writing fight scenes so if it disappoints you... I'm always, thank you for reading and for reviewing. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

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Ever since Uakoru had overthrown the last leader, the Juntar tribe had enjoyed many victories against their rivals. His wild brown eyes strayed to his waist where a red tattered sash was tied tightly. It had been passed down to him by his father and had served him well throughout the years. He had been told that the sash had been blessed by the spirits of war and that he only need to call upon their name to feel their power. Currently residing in the largest hut, Uakoru ran a file across his yellow teeth as he listened to his men talk amongst themselves. He was a large, imposing man with many piercings on his face and body. He was completely bald and tattoos decorated his skin. The time for the sons to earn their place as men was coming. They had been trained well to fight and raid for food, treasure, and women. The tribesmen were discussing the best place to test the young looked to Uakoru now and then for his approval. The trial would start the next morning, and they wanted to make sure that they would not encounter that damned king and his army.

Chase and his feline warriors were hiding in plain sight with an invisibility spell. He wanted to take the Juntar out quietly and without arousing suspicion. If all hell broke loose, Jo and the Xiaolin monks would hurry to the scene and get in his way. No. He wanted this to be a surprise. They quickly made their way to Uakoru's hut. What better way to break a tribe's spirit than to start with their leader? Once inside, Chase dropped the spell and his warriors took down the other men before a single scream could leave their throat. He smirked at the shocked look on the tribe leader's face. "Tear the rest of the tribesmen to shreds. Leave the women and children. If they try to fight back however, kill them as well. Now go." Chase's eyes never left Uakoru's as he snapped his fingers, and his warriors transformed into their human bodies. They bowed before running out and beginning the massacre.

What the hell was going on? Who was this man? The Juntar leader stared at Chase and bared his sharpened teeth. "You will regret this! Sash of Makhai!" The sash glowed and engulfed him with violent energy. Power and anger surged through his body as he charged at Chase.

Even with the wu's power, Uakoru was nothing compared to Chase. The tribe leader's form was sloppy at best; his enhanced strength was still weak to Chase; and his fury left him wide open for counters. The dragon lord scoffed as he parried every blow with one hand. This was annoying, and Chase was disappointed that such an ingrate could give Jo trouble. Then again, he wasn't sure if she had even fought the tribal leader before. It didn't matter though. The immortal was going to end this now. He grabbed Uakoru by the throat and lifted the tribesman into the air with ease. The dragon sneered as his adversary struggled to get out of his grasp. The look of terror and fury on the bald man's face made Chase laugh as he squeezed the life out of him. As the last breath escaped from Uakoru's throat, Chase ripped the sash off of his waist and threw the lifeless body onto the ground. Pathetic. "Magic does not make up for lack of skill."

Time to go see how much destruction his warriors had brought to the rest of the tribe.

...

...oOo...

...

By the time Jo had explained her plan to the monks, Chase and his warriors had already swiftly and brutally destroyed the Juntar tribe. She and the monks didn't know that, however, as they snuck closer to the village. "Be careful. These men are vicious and won't hesitate to bite chunks out of your arms." The village was now in plain sight. "What the..." Jo couldn't believe her eyes. There were bodies of both boys and men everywhere. "What the hell happened here?"

Clay noticed a large group of women huddled near the outskirts of the village. "Guys, look over there!" They all ran over to the terrified women. "Are you ok? What in tarnation happened round here?" The women shook their heads furiously and trembled.

Rai looked at the other monks. "Come on. Split up and see what's going on." Jo was about to object. "Don't worry. We'll be on our guard."

The soldier rolled her eyes. "Fine." They all separated and Jo was about to head to the leader's tent when one of the women got her attention.

The haggard woman held out a red tattered sash. "Man... come with big cats. He kill all Juntar and... and tell me to give you this."

Jo took it from the woman's withered hands gently. "Big cats?" Who the hell used big cats to destroy a village of cannibals? Her eyes widened in realization. "Chase?"

A hot breath passed by her ear. "That is correct."

Jo tensed at his proximity, and the tattoo on her back began to pulse gently. The captive women bowed their heads and looked away. Jo didn't bother to turn her head. "Why did you do this?" She asked quietly as she stared at the wu.

"Are you not pleased?" Chase knew he didn't have much time before the monks came back. "I have destroyed one of your king's enemies."

The fuck. He had taken her seriously? Jo looked at the captives. "What about them?"

"If you wanted them to die as well..."

"Don't put words in my mouth!" Jo clenched her jaw. "These women have suffered through so much already."

"I'm sure they were already broken long before I came here." Chase sounded bored. "Why are you really angry with me?"

Why was she angry? Jo stared at the sash and let it go. A sense of calm flooded her. Ah. It was the wu. She crossed her arms stubbornly. "I am _not_ going to thank you."

"I don't expect you to. You're much too prideful." Chase chuckled darkly. "Are you angry that I was the one to kill the Juntar's leader and not you? Did you want to see the fury and fear in that man's eyes as his life slipped away? Does this victory feel hollow to you?" The dragon lord taunted.

For the first time since he appeared, Jo looked Chase straight in the eye. "I don't care about that." Chase's eyes flashed with anger. Surely she was lying. She didn't care at all? Chase studied her face for evidence of deception but there were none. Damn it, what would it take to make her feel inferior? Jo continued, "I'm more concerned about the captives. What am I supposed to do with these women? They have no homes or family to go back to. Once you are captured by the Juntar, you are dead to the world. No one will welcome you back because you're tainted and beyond salvation in their eyes."

Chase touched Jo's forehead. "I can already tell that you've made up your mind about what you are going to do. It doesn't matter what I say, does it?" Chase teleported away. Time to see if she really had the nerve to go through with what she was thinking.

Jo frowned. There had to be a way she could get out of what she had to do. Staring at the women's blank faces, she knew there was no other way. Jo exhaled heavily and held her head in her hands. "This isn't good..."

"We choose death."

Jo's head snapped up. "What?"

It was the old woman from before. "We... have wished for death... for a very long time."

Jo's stomach began to churn. "I don't know if I can do it." Make no mistake. Jo had killed people before, but they had committed heinous crimes and deserved to die. These captives, on the other hand, had done nothing wrong.

"Please." Another woman rose to her feet. "You have said it before. We have nothing to live for." A pang of guilt hit Jo. "Being in this skin, knowing what has been done to us, is unbearable. Let us cross over and be at peace where no one will judge us."

"Jo? What's going on?" The monks had returned after finding every single Juntar dead. It had not been a pretty sight.

"Death." The women began to chant. Slowly and quietly at first but soon it was as loud as the Juntar's roars.

The young monks stared at the women in confusion and fright. Why did they want to die? They had just been saved! They could live out the rest of their lives in peace now. Right? They turned to Jo. Her expression was fearsome as silent tears trailed down her face.

_'Looks like I've got no fucking choice. It has to be done.'_ Quickly wiping the tears away, Jo turned to Dojo. Her eyes and voice were devoid of emotion. "Dojo, I have some matters to attend to here. Take the kids home. No arguments." She growled as the monks opened their mouths. They stayed in place for a moment before Jo screamed at them. "NOW!" The dragon quickly transformed, and the monks jumped onto his back. "Kimiko." The Asian girl looked at Jo hopefully. She was crestfallen when Jo placed her phone and the wu in her hands. "I don't think I can hang out with you guys anymore. Bye." With that, Dojo took off.

"What do you think she's gonna do?" Clay asked as he watched the village disappear.

"I don't know man. Something pretty bad though. I can feel it." Rai shuddered. There had been a shift in the wind. An ominous sign.

"Kimiko?" Omi was concerned for the dragon of fire. She didn't reply as she stared at the items in her hands.

A few moments later, a huge fireball erupted into the sky. Dojo stopped and they all stared at where the village used to be. A heavy weight settled in their stomachs.

...

...oOo...

...

Jo could only look on as the village burned. Tears no longer threatened to fall down her face, but she looked so tired. She was glad that Jack wasn't around to see her do these horrifying things. She couldn't get the cheers of those women out of her mind as they burned alive. Jo shuddered and dug her fingers into her scalp. It was so damn disturbing!

The immortal couldn't believe she had gone through with it. He stood next to her. "This is not the first time you have burned up a village, is it?" The emerald eyed woman ignored Chase. The older man smirked. "It burns as bright as your hair. It's quite beautiful really, and the way you set this place ablaze was ingenious. I see more and more of just how related you and Spicer really are."

"Stop. I'm not in the mood to listen to you." Chase chuckled at the irritated woman. "Why did you come back?" Jo closed her eyes as the scent of burnt human flesh hit her. Ugh. Her stomach did a few flips.

Unfazed by the scent, Chase replied, "How do you expect to return to Spicer? You have driven the monks away, and I am certain of your unwillingness to return to your king without Jack." The immortal held out his hand. "I have already made sure that the boy doesn't try to come here." Jo considered her options before reluctantly placing her hand in Chase's. The dragon lord smirked as he teleported them to Jack's front step. He released her hand. "Until we meet again." He disappeared into the shadows.

Jo knocked on the door. A few minutes later, it swung open to reveal a worried Jack. "Jo?" The goth could tell that something terrible had happened, and he hugged his cousin. "Come on." He led her into the house and sat her down in the living room. The woman clung to her younger cousin and sobbed.

...

...oOo...

...

Upon arriving at his citadel, Chase returned to his research. Wuya had left a while ago for other villains she could actually manipulate (more like Chase had kicked her out and Jack was busy with his cousin's request), so it was peaceful in his mountain once again. It was easy for Chase to find the information he wanted. The tattoo on Jo's back turned out to be a cursed marking. He knew something strange was going on. "So, the woman is cursed and cannot leave her king's service until his enemies are destroyed and his kingdom restored to its former glory." Oh this would never do. Chase didn't share with anyone. He had to consider how much he really wanted Jack and Jo to serve under him before he would undertake the massive quest. Chase decided to sleep on it. There was no rush after all.

_Later that night..._

Chase was meditating in his dream. Even there, he had the strictest discipline. He opened his eyes as a massive barn owl landed in front of him. "Who might you be?" The owl screeched and preened itself. Chase stood and approached the large bird. "What message do you bring?"

The owl blinked at Chase before spreading its wings and inviting him on its back. The dragon lord decided to humor it and climbed on. His dark hair flowed in the wind as they flew. Soon, they approached the mouth of a large cave. The giant bird landed gracefully, and the man got down from its back.

"Welcome Chase Young." A hunched man approached Chase. He was hideous. His skin was mottled from an assortment of colors. His breath stunk of death, and his eyes were murky from blindness. A few strands of hair clung to his greasy scalp and tattered clothes covered his body. "My mother wishes to speak to you. Follow me please."

Chase looked at the creature in disdain. "What does your mother wish to discuss with me?"

The guide let out a high pitched, breathy laugh. "The cursed ones, of course." He walked back into the mountain.

Chase was less than pleased but followed him. He studied the creature's home. The air was warm from vents that lead up from the earth's core. The rocky walls were adorned with carvings from a time long forgotten. Torches lit the dirt path. The path split in various places which lead to other rooms.

"Mother! Mother!" The disfigured man's voiced grated on Chase's ears. "He has arrived!"

"I can sense his presence. Now get out of my sight." The smooth voice echoed through the cave. A few moments later, pained screams could be heard.

Chase entered a large room where he had last heard the voices. He stared passively at the burnt remains of his guide laying before a throne. "Not quite the end I would have given him. I do approve, however." The figure sitting on the stone throne did not answer. Chase approached her cautiously. She was wrapped in old bandages from head to toe with only the slightest space for her diseased eyes. A red shawl hung from her shoulders loosely. Bits of chestnut hair poked through her bandages. "Who are you and why have you summoned me in my dreams?"

The figure remained seated as she spoke. "I am the mother of the cursed ones. Unable to pass into the realm you dwell in, I can only have my children bring your subconscious mind to me. Now for the matter at hand. It has come to my attention that the Juntar have been wiped from existence by you, Chase Young. For what purpose are you disrupting the balance between the cursed lands?"

"There is a worthy person that I am trying to recruit as my own. Her curse stands in my way." He replied simply.

"Oh? Are you speaking of Jocelyn of the Spicer lineage?" The disfigured woman chuckled. "That child has had my permission to leave the king's service for a while now. The original curse has nothing to do with her. She volunteered her freedom and soul to help that pathetic excuse for a man." The woman clicked her tongue. "It's a pity that she got mixed up in his affairs. If she ever wanted to be free, she only has to ask and it will be granted. She has already paid her dues a long time ago."

Chase frowned. Jo was willingly subjecting herself to a curse? "If what you are saying is true, why does she insist on assuring the well-being of a cursed man and his people?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask her?" The woman tilted her head slightly. "Keep in mind that throughout history, the Spicer lineage has depended on strong leaders to focus their intelligence and strengths on. They were born to be loyal followers. Very rarely has a Spicer risen in the world without a mentor to point them in the right direction first. I must say, that family can be a huge asset if you use them correctly. Perhaps she has found her leader through the cursed king."

Jack's constant failures and desire to be under his tutelage made more sense to Chase now. "You know so much about the Spicers. Why is that?" The woman merely smiled at him and did not answer. Everything began to blur and fade to black.

The dream was over.

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Hope you liked the chapter. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Egads! The first part of the last chapter had so many typos and grammatical errors in it! I'm sorry about that. I had added it in at the last moment and didn't proofread as well as I thought I had. ^^; Thank you for the reviews Shadir, Lisa, and bbst. I didn't realize how much violence I had written until I read the chapter again. Whoops!

The bulk of this chapter is a flashback of what Jack was doing while Jo and the monks were away. I feel like I haven't included him enough in the story lately. Also, still striving for canon although it may change later on. I don't know. We'll see what direction this story takes. I don't want to make it seem like a Chase x OC type of story... or OC x anyone really. I hope I'm doing ok in that regard. Anyways, sorry the update times are starting to lengthen. It's because of school and stuff.

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

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"There is something weighing very heavily on your minds, young monks." Master Fung had noticed how lethargic the four had been since they returned from their recent wu retrieval. "Why don't you share what happened today with me?" Dojo had already told the old monk what had happened, but Master Fung knew that it would help the Xiaolin warriors to express what they had observed and their feelings about it. He led the four monks to the meditation room. "Who would like to start?"

There was silence for a few moments before Clay muttered, "Our new "friend" turned out to be a cold-blooded killer. She murdered a group of defenseless women!"

"We do not know that for sure, my friend." Omi argued. "We did not see what really happened with our own eyes."

Rai jumped up. His hands were clenched tightly. "Oh come on Omi! You can't seriously be defending her! Don't you remember how she treated us before we left?" At the warning look from Master Fung, the Brazilian monk sat back down. "I told you there was something weird about her. Sure she beat up Pandabubba and gave us a wu back, but she's not the same as us."

"You are right, Raimundo. She is not the same as you four, but that doesn't necessarily make her actions wrong." Rai scoffed and crossed his arms. "Kimiko, do you have anything to add?" Out of all the monks, she was the one Fung was most worried about.

Kim shrugged. "I'm still thinking about some things." An uncomfortable look appeared on her face. "There's something about that fire that just isn't sitting right with me."

"What do you mean Kim?" Clay couldn't get the image of the fireball rushing up into the air out of his head.

"Well, I've noticed that fire can project emotion and that fire didn't really feel evil or malicious. It felt kind of sad... and cleansing." Kim sighed. "I know it sounds weird but... I think Jo was trying to protect us from something."

"Perhaps she did not want you to bear witness to her difficult deed." Master Fung placed his hands inside of his sleeves. "Young monks, you are still learning the ways of the world. There are times when harsh measures are needed in order to release pain and suffering. Do not be so quick to judge the soldier Jo too harshly. Did she not shed tears and feel regret for her actions?"

Rai scratched the back of his head. "Yeah... I guess she did." He suddenly felt bad. He glanced at Clay who looked like he was sharing the same feeling.

Omi smiled. "Master Fung, I believe this means that Jo is still a good person then?"

"If you wish to continue your friendship with her, I will not forbid it." The monks seemed to have cheered up. Master Fung stood. "It is time for bed. You can decide on what you want to do in the morning." He opened the door, and they went to their rooms.

...

...oOo...

...

For the first time in months, Jack laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling unable to go to sleep. Faint music drifted from Jo's room but did nothing to soothe him. He was still disturbed by what had happened earlier that day. He had worried for his cousin's safety after she left with the Xiaolin monks and Dojo. Jack had run out of the main office of the apartment complex and was about to activate his heli-bot to follow them when Chase had appeared in front of him.

**_-Flashback-_**

"AH! Chase! What are you doing here?" Jack screamed.

"Just where do you think you're going Spicer?" Chase backed the boy against the wall. "Do you think you're going to go save your precious cousin? From what I've seen, she's more than capable of taking care of herself." He smirked. "You're likely to endanger her life by showing your pathetic face."

Something in Jack snapped, and he tried to push Chase away. He failed miserably of course, but the action caused Chase to glower at him. "Listen here, Chase. Jo is one of the few people who actually gives a fuck about me, and I'm not about to just leave her alone with those losers! Yeah. I know she can take care of herself but that doesn't mean I should just stand back and let her fend for herself! Jo isn't infallible. She may be a skilled soldier, but she can still get seriously hurt." The redhead tried to slip past the dragon lord. "Now get out of my way!"

Under any other circumstances, Chase would have been slightly impressed that Jack had finally grown a pair. As it was, the man was not happy at the goth's disrespect. He grabbed the boy's head and pushed it against the wall roughly. "You'd better watch your mouth, Spicer. Your cousin isn't here to save you."

"I'm sorry! Don't kill me!" Jack cried. Tears were beginning to form from the pressure. "Why are you doing this?"

Chase brought the boy in close. "Do you remember my offer, Jack? The one you so graciously turned down?" Jack nodded weakly. "I'm not taking no for an answer." Chase threw the boy down on the ground. "It annoys me to see how well you both work together. You insignificant worm..." Chase grabbed the boy again so that they were eye to eye.

The boy shrank at the mad gleam on Chase's face. What was wrong with him? "C-Chase? Are you ok? Why are you acting like this?"

The dragon lord inhaled the scent of Jack's fear and compared it with Jo's indifference. What had she gone through that made her so fearless? How could he make Jack more like that? The boy's constant fear of pain and clinginess was detrimental and had always put Chase off. He knew that the boy had a special skill set that he could exploit, but Jack's attitude just wasn't something that the dragon lord was willing to put up with. "Spicer." The boy was still staring at him fearfully. "I am going to observe your cousin's skill and cunning. Do not bother her when she is with the Xiaolin monks."

"Well duh... The last thing I want is for those losers to start targeting her." Jack muttered.

"Spicer." Chase warned.

Jack frowned. "Ok. I got it." The boy wasn't sure if he should feel overprotective or jealous of Jo. "Why are you so fixated on her anyways?"

"Because she is the complete opposite of you, Spicer, and seems to be able to control you." The boy made a face. Oh. Right. "Be careful that your face doesn't stay that way." Chase decided to go back to his citadel. He had had enough of Jack for one day.

The evil genius grunted angrily after Chase left. He wanted to go after Jo and the monks but didn't dare to disobey Chase. He wanted to keep his body intact - thank you very much. Jack activated his heli-bot and flew home. Once he was there, Jack kept his mind off of the monks and Jo by working on the last few designs of his medi-bot line. A few hours later, he had finished all of the prototypes and was testing them when the doorbell rang. The boy ran up the stairs and threw the front door open.

His cousin looked awful. Jack could feel her exhaustion and pain roll off of her in waves. "Jo?" He hugged her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his wiry frame and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Come on." He led her into the living room, and they sat down on the couch. They sat in silence for almost thirty minutes when Jo suddenly clung onto Jack and began to sob. The goth felt a little uncomfortable. He had never been the "rock" for anyone before. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, so he just stroked her hair and rubbed small circles on her back.

Another hour passed before Jo was able to collect herself. "Thanks." Her voice was hoarse. She rested her head on his lap. "You know that I've done a lot of bad things in my life, Jack, but they've never affected me before. I've always been able to disconnect when I kill, but today was different."

"That bad, huh?" Jack knew the type of work Jo did. In their many letter exchanges, she had taken the time to write out every gory detail of her battles. He often had to skip large portions of her letters or he would have nightmares. "What happened?" Jack was pretty sure he was going to regret asking that question, but if it made her feel better to share, he would sit through it.

"I burned a village." Jo swallowed thickly. "I burned it down while innocent women stood in the center and celebrated." She held her head in her hands. "They were so happy to die. I don't know, Jack. I understand why they wanted it and why it had to be done, but I still feel so sick to my stomach. I'm glad you weren't there. I don't think I would've been able to forgive myself if you had seen that side of me with your own eyes."

Jack just sat there and listened to his cousin. What the hell was he supposed to say? Sure he was an evil genius but it wasn't like he'd ever kill anyone before. When it seemed like she had finished what she needed to say about what was bothering her, Jack asked, "So, what happened with the monks?" He knew that if those losers had brought her back, it would have been absolute chaos at the mansion, and he had already assumed that Chase had been the one to bring her home. Prickles of jealousy poked at him. It wasn't fair. First Omi and now his cousin? Why couldn't he ever get a break? Although... Jo had made it very clear that it was either both of them or nothing. Jack guessed he could be grateful for that.

"I scared them off before I set that cursed village on fire." She scoffed. "That's another thing I forgot to mention. We ended up not too far from my country. In fact, we were at the border." Jo yawned. "I really hope I don't have to deal with them anymore after this. They're annoying and constantly talk shit."

Jack laughed. "What did I tell ya? Those losers think they're such big hot shots because they have elemental powers."

"Well Jack, if you used your more lethal designs..." Jo suggested.

He waved his hand dismissively. "Nah. I'm in the game to collect wu and show off my evil genius. Not really interested in killing anyone."

A predatory smile slowly formed on the woman's face. "You don't have to kill them. Just... make them bedridden for a while. I'm sure that would impress the Heylin."

Jack was really glad her hostility wasn't directed at him. "They would deserve it. They've beaten me up and trashed my basement so many times. It's expensive to fix everything!"

Jo frowned. "Maybe you should keep a set of the medi-bots with you."

Jack shook his head. "They would just destroy them. They don't care about what kinds of robots I make." Then again, he had always made robots for them to fight against. "They just smash and go."

"You'll figure something out." Jo stood up. "I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. Good night."

"Hold on, Jo." Jack also got up and stood in front of the woman. "It's late, and I know how you need music to fall asleep sometimes."

Jo's face blanched. "Please don't sing me a lullaby, Jack. I don't know if your voice has improved at all since the last time you tried to sing for me." Last time being her ninth birthday and poor, little four year old Jack trying so desperately to sing her the birthday song. It had been painful back then, and Jo still had vivid nightmares about it.

Jack blushed angrily. "Hey! You told me you loved my singing!" At her blank stare, he decided to change the subject. "I'm not singing for you. I just thought you'd like this playlist I made for you." He handed her an mp3 player of his own design. It was totally more advanced than any iPod or other player that was out or would be out for the next century. Or so he liked to think. "Cause you know... Just cause."

Jo bit back a laugh. "Thanks Jack. It's been a while since I've listened to any music from this century..." Jack gave her a confused look, and she ruffled his hair. "Good night."

Jack watched her leave then returned to the basement. He was going to finish testing the medi-bots tonight so that he could actually spend time with Jo tomorrow. It had been quite a few years since they last saw each other after all, and there was no way in hell he was going to let the Xiaolin losers or Chase spend more time with her than him.

**_-End Flashback-_**

Jack tried to get comfortable, but it was no use. He just couldn't go to sleep. Maybe a little snack would help soothe him. As he walked through the hall leading to the kitchen, Jack passed by Jo's room. The door was ajar, and he could clearly hear the music playing. The songs he had chosen for Jo weren't necessarily songs that he listened to himself, but he was pretty sure that she would find comfort in them.

Jack quietly pushed the door open and stepped into Jo's room. Outside of the covers and dressed in an oversized shirt and shorts, the woman was sleeping peacefully which made him feel better. He left the room and closed the door gently. Maybe he didn't need that pudding anymore... or maybe he did. Jack rubbed his hands together as he hurried to the kitchen.

Back in her room, Jo dreamt of dancing as the song's words penetrated into her subconscious mind. She could remember when she wanted to be a dancer at age eleven. How the years had flown by... Jo frowned and fidgeted in her sleep.

* * *

I'll be frank. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with the relationship between the monks and Jo. As it is, she just doesn't care for them, and they're not exactly used to her methods but are not fully convinced that she's a bad person yet either. Would Master Fung even reason with them about her like that? Hmm hmm... Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! :D


	8. Chapter 8

Wow... It has been months since I've updated this. Sorry about that guys! Thanks for reading, commenting, and adding this story to your favorites though. I really appreciate it. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown or make a profit from this fanfiction.

* * *

"Jo?" The orange-haired woman grumbled sleepily and placed a pillow over her head. Jack chuckled nervously. "Uh.. Jo?" The redhead poked his sleepy guest. She growled at him warningly. Jack gulped. His cousin hated to be disturbed when she was dead tired. "I know you don't want to get up yet but..."

"Jack," Jo murmured, "I love you, but I will wring your neck if you don't leave me alone for a few more hours."

Jack slapped his hands over his mouth before a loud, girly scream could get out. He swallowed and hurried out of her room. "Ok Jo. Good ni- uh.. good morn- uh... sleep well?" He laughed nervously and shut the door before she could throw anything at him. In the hallway, Jack sighed and stared at Chase pleadingly. "I tried Chase but she gets in a really, really bad mood if-"

Chase pushed Jack out of the way. "Out of my way, worm." He was about to turn the handle when it opened. The two males stared at the drowsy woman. She looked like death, and her gun was pointed straight at them.

"If you want to talk to me, do so later." Jo said quietly. "I am not in my "right mind" at the moment as the saying goes." The cursed tattoo on her back throbbed painfully making her grimace. "I have a headache. I'm PMSing. I'm in pain. I didn't get enough sleep, and I'm in a bitchy mood. Whatever excuse you'll accept, I don't give a shit. Just leave me alone right now." She shut the door, turned slowly, and shuffled back into bed.

Chase glanced at Jack who shrugged and shook his head. The dragon lord rolled his eyes. Good god these two were annoying! He wondered if he should just wake her up anyways. "You two are more trouble than you're worth."

Jack twiddled his fingers. "Aw come on Chase. She isn't always like this in the morning. It's just because of the jet lag and not being able to go to bed early that she's so grumpy." Chase pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can I do or get anything for you in the meantime?" At the sly look on Chase's face, Jack held up his hands. "Except go back in there! Please don't make me! Jo never goes back on her word. She'll hurt me!"

"Stop being so pitiful, Spicer!" Chase snapped. Honestly, why was he allowing himself to be bossed around? He was an immortal dragon lord, damn it! He rapped his knuckles against the door loudly. "I command you to wake up now, Jo! There are some things we need to discuss!" No answer. "I'm coming inside." Jack cowered on the other side of the hall as Chase strode into the room. He shut the door and studied the woman.

Jo's back was still hurting. This always happened whenever she killed anyone. This was when she was at her weakest emotionally and spiritually. It was the perfect time for the cursed mother to take over her body and devour her soul. The soldier had been able to fight the other woman's influence easily in the past, but it had become increasingly difficult in the past year. Jo had found that being well rested helped her mind concentrate on keeping the cursed being at bay. That's why Jo ignored Chase and tried to go back to sleep as he stood in front of her bed.

"Get up." Chase ordered. "I have some questions for you."

"Go away."

"Jo, this is important."

"Not now."

"This cannot wait."

"I'm sure it can."

"Do not test my patience any more than you already have, _girl_."

"Fuck off, _old man_."

Chase snarled and transformed into his beast form. He roared as he ripped the sheets off of Jo. The woman did not stir. She was ignoring him again! This was unbelievable. The dragon grabbed her and hauled her up so that she was facing him. Her head rolled to the side. Confused, Chase sniffed her. Something was off.

"Isn't it funny how weak humans can become when they don't get enough sleep? The body struggles to heal itself; the mind becomes foggy and loses focus; the senses get confused, and the person doesn't know what is and isn't real. It's quite easy to take over anyone in such a weakened state." The taunting voice coming out of Jo's mouth was different but sounded very familiar to Chase. The woman straightened up and finally opened her eyes.

A guttural growl reverberated from the back of Chase's throat. Jo's usual vibrant green eyes had been replaced with milky, diseased ones. "The self-proclaimed mother of the cursed ones. You said you weren't able to come into this world, yet here you are."  
"Oh but I can't. Not physically anyways. I can take over anyone who has the cursed marking, however, if they're weak enough. I will admit though that this is the first time I've successfully taken over Jocelyn. A surprising victory for me." She smirked. "My, my, what a handsome dragon you make." The woman touched Chase's face and reveled in the scaly skin. Amazing.

"Be careful that I don't bite your fingers off." Chase warned.

"As if you would dare to bite this child." The woman taunted. She winced as pain pulsed behind her eyes. "It seems that Jocelyn wants to take back control already. Such a resilient little thing. I can't wait to take over." She suddenly went slack in Chase's grasp. Jo groaned and opened her eyes. "Damn it. I can't believe she got through." She froze as she noticed how close she was to Chase's snout. The two stared at each other for a moment - shocked emerald boring into amused gold. "Two things: why are you in that form, and why are you touching me?" If there was anything that Jo hated more than missing precious hours of sleep, it was being touched without her permission.

Chase grinned. She really was fearless, wasn't she? He could smell her embarrassment and annoyance although he was unsure if it was due to their proximity or the possession. "Is there something wrong?"

Jo's shock quickly wore off, and her expression became neutral. "No." She looked at Chase's claws which still had a hold of her. "You gonna let go anytime soon?" She stifled a yawn as Chase shook his head. Great. She was still tired but at least her back wasn't hurting anymore. She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "Ok fine. Let's get this over with. What do you want?"

Satisfied that Jo was going to behave, the immortal set her down on the bed. "Let's start with what just happened."

Jo massaged her temples. "There's a reason why I need to be well-rested, and you just saw it." She turned her back to him and lifted up her shirt to show him her tattoo. The owl skeleton had changed. It's bony wings were now spread and its beak open in a silent screech. The human skull it was perched upon had bit down on the heart completely leaving trails of inky blood pooling around its base. Chase was certain he could see it moving. "That woman you just talked to was the "mother" of the cursed people. She burned this onto my back when I pledged my loyalty to the king. She told me that it would disappear when his curse was broken."

Chase touched the cursed marking lightly with his claws. Jo hissed as it began to burn. "I had a dream that she brought me to her home last night. She said that you have already repaid your debt and only have to ask for your freedom for it to be given."

Jo raised a brow and scoffed. "And you believed her?" She fixed her shirt. "I would think that you, oh great Chase Young, would take her word with a grain of salt." She faced him. "The only reason she would say that is because she wants me to abandon my king and his people. If I do that before the curse is broken, she'll eat my soul and steal my body. You've seen her. She's deteriorating and needs a new one."

"I never said that I believed that woman." The soldier looked at him dubiously which Chase ignored. "Tell me more about your king and his people."

How much should she reveal to him? Obviously, Jo didn't trust him even if the cursed mother had dragged him into their affairs. Outsiders were never welcomed unless they were supposed to play a major role in the future, and she wasn't sure that Chase would be one of them. Jo decided to stick to the basics for now. "My king was a good man and his people lived in prosperity under his rule, but he crossed the cursed mother and incurred her wrath. He had asked her for help in getting rid of his enemies. She provided him with the necessary power, but then he forgot what she had done for him and didn't give her any credit for his victories. That pissed her off and she threw his kingdom and the surrounding countries into chaos. She brought his enemies back to life and cursed everyone with eternal strife. The only way to release them all is to kill my king's enemies... again."

This was old information. "Why did you pledge your allegiance to this king?"

Jo quietly groaned. So many questions! "It felt like something that I had to do. You know, like a calling."

Chase's brow rose. "A calling?"

Jo shrugged. "I don't know. Ever since I turned ten, I had dreams about the king and the cursed mother. It wasn't until I was fifteen that any of it made sense. My mother called a family meeting and told everyone that I had to go to a school overseas. Of course, what she really meant was that I had to go serve the king and try to break the curse. How she even knew that I was having those dreams still eludes me."

Chase smirked. He had his own theories, but there was no need to share them with Jo. "Where did you learn your skills? With the king?"

The soldier chuckled. "Nah. My family is expected to have expertise in fighting and survival skills regardless of what we do with our lives. I learned all of the basics from them. I just had to adapt them to the battlefield." She smiled fondly. "It helped having five older brothers. I was never treated as a girl... at least not until Jack came into the picture."

"Where are your brothers? Do they also serve the king?"

Jo shook her head. "No. They're off doing their own things. I haven't seen them in years." Nor did she really care to see any of them. It wasn't because she had any resentment or hatred towards them. She had just lost interest in things from her old life after all these years of being in the king's army. Except for Jack. Her younger cousin had found a permanent place in her heart and mind for some reason. "If you're going to ask any more questions about my family, all I can say is that I have no attachment to any of them."

"Except for Spicer." Chase stated. He was calm now and reverted to his human form. "Why do you regard him so highly?" He was genuinely curious. Had the boy shown promise when he was younger? Was that why she had so much faith in him?

Jo looked at him incredulously. "Maybe because he's family, and I love him? You don't know Jack like I do. He's had big ideas since he was little. Ideas that were not only fantastic but actually feasible. He may not be strong physically, but his intelligence is staggering. He is capable of so many things, but people look down on him because of his appearance." Frustration was apparent on her face. "Before you say shit about his attitude, you try walking in his shoes. He's never been taken seriously, and he needed an ego boost of some kind especially after..." Her voice trailed off. "Well, I'm not at liberty to disclose that information."

Chase clicked his tongue. "That information must be very important," he muttered not even the slightest bit interested. What else was there to ask? Oh yes. "How far would you go to break your king's curse?"

The soldier narrowed her eyes. He was up to something. "What are you thinking, Chase Young?"

A smirk crept onto the Chinese man's face. "I was thinking that I could help you get rid of your king's enemies... for a price of course."

"Let me guess. Jack's and my loyalty, right?" She asked dully. At Chase's knowing look, Jo rolled her eyes. "I wasn't exactly being serious back then. I was just saying things to make you leave."

"That may be true but you know how important this is to Spicer, and I know how important he is to you. Are you really willing to destroy his dreams of becoming my apprentice?" He chuckled as she scowled. "I thought not." He cupped her cheek gently. She gave him a frosty glare and clenched her jaw. She was too easy to tease. "If not for your king's sake, then accept my offer for Jack's happiness."

Jo raised a brow. This was the first time Chase had called her cousin by his first name. "Are you even going to take him seriously? He's told me about all of the times you've demeaned and used him. If I accept your offer, I'm only going to stay for as long as Jack does, and he does have a breaking point even if you are his evil idol."

Chase lowered his hand. "How I treat Spicer depends on his actions and level of maturity. If he will give me his best effort and not act like a complete fool, I will take him seriously."

That was fair enough for Jo. "Fine." She laid back down on her bed. "Are we done now?" Chase nodded, and she rolled over onto her side. "Good. I'm going back to sleep." She cracked an eye open when she felt her sheets move and cover her a few minutes later. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh uh, I just didn't want you to get cold."

Ah. It was just Jack. The woman chuckled and nuzzled her pillow. "Thanks."

The evil genius grinned. "No problem. See ya in a few hours."

...

oOo

...

The monks flew out to the apartment complex Jo was "staying" at. They had decided to give this friendship with Jo another shot. They just wouldn't bring her with them anymore when they went wu hunting. As it was, Kimiko wanted to take Jo to the mall, buy her some new clothes, and then karaoke later. The boys didn't feel like there was any point in arguing with her. What was the harm in a little shopping and singing after all? Sure, the shopping would probably be boring as hell and the karaoke quite painful to hear what with Omi's and Clay's horrible "singing" but... eh. Whatever.

They walked into the building. A middle-aged woman was busy going through paperwork. "Excuse me," Kimiko interrupted. "but could you tell us which apartment Jo is staying in?"

The woman looked up at the Japanese girl. "Last name?"

"Oh uh... We don't know her last name." The woman frowned. "But Jo has short, orange hair and green eyes. She kind of looks like a boy?"

Oh. The woman remembered her and the strange redhead. Nice enough she supposed. She liked that they had paid for everything upfront in cash. "I haven't seen them since they rented the apartment." She reached over to a little cubby full of keys and pulled one out. "They forgot to get the key. I've been waiting for them to come back."

Clay raised a brow. "Excuse me, marm, but what do you mean by they?"

The woman pursed her lips. "The girl your friend was talking about and the redhead that was with her."

"Redhead?" Rai frowned.

"Jo did say that she was visiting her cousin," Omi reminded.

"Yeah but _redhead_." Rai stressed.

"Oh hold up now, partner! Don't be jumping to conclusions again!" Clay warned.

"What's the name of the person who rented the apartment?" Kimiko asked.

The woman looked through her paperwork. "Jack Spicer."

The monks looked at each other with wide eyes. No way. Seriously? But Jo was cool and on the side of good... and Jack was...not.

...

Jack Spicer was Jo's cousin?

...

_That insufferable braggart was Jo's cousin?_

...

They needed to get to the bottom of this. Now.

Kimiko plastered a huge fake smile on her face as she faced the manager. "Thank you."

The monks quickly left before the woman could say another word. She huffed and put the key back. It didn't really matter to her. The apartment had already been paid for after all.

...

oOo

...

"Oh Jack. You know me so well even after all these years of being apart." Jo was content. She had gotten five more hours of sleep before the two went out. They had gone to a movie theater and ordered a ridiculous amount of junk food, went to the mall and messed with people without getting caught, visited a gun range (Jo shot, Jack didn't), participated in a huge paintball fight where they kicked ass and were later driven out for being overly aggressive, and finally settled down at an ice cream parlor. Jack was currently enjoying a huge banana split while Jo had opted for a three-scoop, coffee cake streusel ice cream in a waffle cone. There had been no run-ins with the monks or unpleasant surprises from Chase or any other Heylin. No shen gong wu had activated, and if they had, Jack kindly ignored them. It had been a great day.

Jack was extremely please with himself. Hell yeah, he made the best day plans ever! "Today was awesome, huh? Nothing and no one to ruin it."

"Mmhmm. I hear you, Jack." Jo licked her cone giddily. She missed hanging out with the boy. "We did a lot today. You don't have any other surprises up your sleeve, do you?"

Jack thought about it. "Hm... nah. Don't think so. Unless there's something you wanna do before we head back." Jo shook her head. "Then nada. We're done for the day after we finish these delicious beauties." He gulped down a huge scoop of ice cream. He immediately regretted it. "Ow ow ow! Stupid brain freeze!" He growled.

Jo snorted. "You can be such a dumbass sometimes." That comment earned her a raspberry. Jo gave him a stony glare. "Jack..." The redhead grinned apologetically. "That's better."

As his brain freeze subsided, Jack began to push his ice cream around. "Hey Jo?"

"What?"

"How soon do we have to go back to your kingdom after I finish the medi-bots?" Jack was nervous. He wasn't sure about going to that place.

Jo was quiet. It was true that Jack had done splendid work in record time, but she didn't want to go back so soon either. It was nice being out of that cursed land and feeling normal for once. "I don't know, Jack. I would say that we need to run some tests in a real life setting before we go back though." A smirk played at her lips. "Do you understand?"

Jack nodded. "Oh yeah. Totally. I need to make sure my medi-bots are calibrated correctly. Wouldn't want them to accidentally injure someone they're trying to heal. That would just defeat the purpose." Satisfied with their decision, the cousins resumed eating their treat in leisure.

If they only knew what was waiting for them when they returned to Jack's mansion...


End file.
